


Act My Age

by violawrites



Category: Marvel, Marvel Cinematic Universe, Spider-Man - All Media Types, The Amazing Spider-Man (Movies - Webb)
Genre: Awkward Flirting, Dorks in Love, F/M, Flirting, Fluff and Angst, Fluffy Ending
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-01-25
Updated: 2019-01-25
Packaged: 2019-10-08 20:28:39
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,689
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17393177
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/violawrites/pseuds/violawrites
Summary: Peter Parker has absolutely never chickened out in his life before at all. Not even a little.The voice in Peter’s head is screaming at him that now was the moment, that if he was ever going to ask Gwen Stacy to the Homecoming dance he has the perfect opportunity. Handed to him on a silver platter like nothing else in his life ever has been. But the words don’t come; can’t or won’t it doesn’t matter. The moment is gone now and Peter can just about see the chalk outline on the sidewalk where he killed it.





	Act My Age

**Author's Note:**

  * For [flashytonystark](https://archiveofourown.org/users/flashytonystark/gifts).



Peter always feels most like himself behind a camera; a wall of glass and a shutter between him and his subjects, in this case the Midtown High football team. He’s been volunteered by the school newspaper to take pictures at the sectional game after everyone else in the class had stayed suspiciously quiet when the teacher had asked who didn’t have plans that night. It’s the first football game Peter has been to since he’s started high school, not exactly being the type to hang out with most of the crowd who he knows will be in the bleachers. The DSLR in his hand gives him an excuse to stand by the fence and set up his gear on the sidewalk that loops around the field and avoid most of the chaos.

It’s almost too easy to isolate the sound of heels clicking on the pavement coming toward him, reminding him that while he’s looking through the viewfinder he has almost no peripheral vision whatsoever. Peter lowers the camera, glancing to his left to get a glimpse of whoever it is, only to discover Gwen Stacy. Peter’s pulse seems to rise in a direct correlation to how close she gets. _It would be awkward to not saying anything when she walks by, right?_

“Hi.” He starts, resisting the urge to flinch when his voice comes out sounding unnaturally high to his own ears. Peter expects her to keep walking past him, towards the school or the parking lot, but she doesn’t. She stops a few feet away, and her head in front of the floodlights makes a halo around form around her. Peter’s fingers are itching at the camera, wishing he could take her picture.

“Hey,” Was Gwen Stacy actually acknowledging him? This was probably one of those weird dreams where there’s no pizza left or Flash Gordon is President. Except those are nightmares and this is . . . not. “It’s Peter, right?”

“Huh? Yeah, it’s Peter.” He nods, genuinely surprised she knows his name. They’ve gone to the same school since Kindergarten but for some reason this strikes him dumb, or almost.

“You’re a football fan?” Gwen inclines her head back toward the field, keeping her hands buried in her pockets away from the late autumn chill. There’s a blue scarf wrapped around her neck and it distracts Peter for a moment when he notices how it matches her eyes.

“Ah, not really. I’m just — it’s just for the school newspaper.” He keeps his eyes focused on his feet as he scuffs the toe of his converse on the asphalt. May is always telling him to get rid of those shoes because they’re about to wear out and for once he wishes he’d listened to her. “This is actually the first –“

But he’s interrupted when the voice comes over the loudspeaker while the teams are in the huddle setting up the next play. “Don’t forget, tickets to the Homecoming dance are on sale now in the guidance office for only fifteen dollars. Stop by to purchase them before they run out.” Peter freezes for a moment and curses his typical Parker luck that they’d bring up the dance when he was standing in front of the one girl he would actually consider asking. The free hand that’s not around the Nikon reaches up to run through his hair.

“You going?” Gwen tilts her head as she asks him. He can’t exactly tell by the tone in her voice if she’s just making conversation or if she really wants to know the answer.

“To the dance?” Peter mentally kicks himself before the words have even left his mouth. _No you moron, she means the grocery store_. But she nods at him kindly as if she doesn’t even notice the awkwardness.

“Oh, I don’t know, I uh, hadn’t really decided yet.” The expression on Gwen’s face shifts again and if Peter didn’t know better he would swear part of it is disappointment.

“Oh yeah, yeah. Me either.” She says. The voice in Peter’s head is screaming at him that now was the moment, that if he was ever going to ask Gwen Stacy to the Homecoming dance he has the perfect opportunity. Handed to him on a silver platter like nothing else in his life ever has been. But the words don’t come; can’t or won’t it doesn’t matter. The moment is gone now and Peter can just about see the chalk outline on the sidewalk where he killed it.

“So, I’ll see you around?” Gwen’s voice is quiet as she glances up at him again, giving him a quick wave before heading towards the parking lot.

“Yeah, see you later.” Once he’s sure she’s gone Peter smacks his head against the fence, the cold metal doing nothing to ease the sting of regret.

 

* * *

 

He’s standing in the hallway after school, head hanging as he listens to his Uncle; something about picking May up from work, but Peter has to admit that he hasn’t been completely paying attention. Was he supposed to be at the hospital at eight o’clock or nine? He’s just about to ask him again and make sure he has the right time when Uncle Ben’s attention shifts to something behind him instead.

“She looks familiar.” His comment catches Peter by surprise, and he turns to see exactly who Ben’s talking about, only to be greeted by a head of bright blonde hair peeking out from behind a stack of books and binders in her arms. Peter doesn’t answer, deciding that avoidance is probably the best policy. There’s no way his Uncle actually _knows_ Gwen, anyway.

“She’s the girl on your computer.” Peter’s mind puts the pieces together as he shakes his head violently, praying that Ben’s voice isn’t loud enough for her to hear.

“No –“ It’s already too late. Gwen’s glancing over their way. He thinks back to physics class earlier in the day and wonders if it’s possible to calculate how much force he would need to sink right through the floor. Peter bets he could do it.

“He’s got you on his computer.” Ben says, and by then Peter knows that Gwen’s definitely heard. Gwen who he’s had a crush on since the third grade. “I’m his probation officer.” His Uncle slaps him on the shoulder and then adds in a quieter voice, “Don’t forget about Aunt May.”

Nervous laughter forces itself from Peter’s mouth and echoes down the long hallway, making it sound like there’s a thousand Peters laughing at his own bad luck. He turns to Gwen who miraculously hasn’t run away and long moments pass before he decides that he probably owes her an explanation judging by the slightly bewildered expression that’s appeared on her features as she worries her lip.

“He’s a character, my uh – my Uncle.” Peter finally manages to get out, cursing himself for stumbling over his words. He’s not the most articulate at the best of times, he knows. “He’s a pathological liar and he thought you were someone else.”

“Oh man, you don’t have me on your computer?” Peter would almost think Gwen is flirting with him if he had any previous experience to base it on. But he doesn’t have long to think about it because his mouth is opening again without permission after bypassing the filter from his brain.

“I mean yeah, like, I took a photo of the debate team and you’re on the debate team, so…” Peter trails off, the speed of his hands waving frantically in front of him matches the words rushing out of his mouth. It was the truth, or most of it.

“Right.” He looks around, hoping for any sort of distracting to save him. A fire, a stampede of raging rhinos, even Flash would be welcome right about now.

“So he must’ve seen, I mean, I was touching up stuff.” It only takes him about half a second to realize how wrong that came out. The odds are he should be expecting a restraining order any day now.

“Touching up stuff?” But she’s smiling now and he can hear the laughter in her voice. At least she’s not angry with him, Peter thinks.

“I’m not answering that.” He chuckles back, scuffing the toes of his shoes on the floor. They were dangerously close to falling apart already but he couldn’t help himself.

“Did you get expelled?” Gwen asks, her voice turns serious as she changes the subject. Word seems to have gotten around the school even faster than he thought it would, apparently.

“No, no. I didn’t get expelled, I have community service.” He can think of pretty much anything he’d rather be doing on the weekends, but he supposes he should be grateful he hasn’t been kicked out. Gwen pivots on her heel and makes a motion like she’s about to head off, but something possesses Peter to open his mouth again.

“Um, so uh, you wanna uh…” Peter bounces nervously on the balls of his feet. How exactly had he gotten an A- on his last English paper again?

“Wanna what?” Gwen takes a step closer, making Peter even more anxious. Her face is so patient and open and he can’t quite fathom how he still has her attention.

“I don’t know. Just uh… We could uh,” He shakes his head, buying himself time to think. A hand runs through his hair out of habit. “Or we could do something else, or we could?” _Great, Parker, just great. Make an ass of yourself in front of the prettiest girl in school._ He looks down at the floor.

“Oh? Yeah, either one. Sure.” Peter blinks once, twice, before looking up at her again, sure that he’s heard wrong. But she’s not laughing at him, not telling him to get lost. Although now that he thinks about it none of those seem like anything she would actually do.

“Okay, alright, yeah. Sounds good.” He said. Gwen nods at him and does a quick twirl with her binder before heading off down the hallway and Peter barely waits until she’s turned around before letting the stupid grin cover his face.


End file.
